THE GREAT IRISHMAN.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 316, 30 November 1910, Page 5

THE GREAT IRISHMAN.

Mrs T. P. O'Connor's book of reminiscences, which has been pubilsed, shows Parnell as he appeared to one of his most fervent admirers. Mrs O'Connor came into close contact with. Ireland's "uncrowned king" at the time when her husband first contested the Scotland division of Liverpool. This was the initial attempt of the Nationalists to win a parliamentary seat in England, and Parnell went to Liverpool to assist his lieutenant. "T.P." headed the polls, and the news reached Parnell while he was attending a meeting in the constituency. "Mr Parnell reared up his head like an emperor," writes Mrs O'Connor "He got on his feet, his face paler than belore, his hands clasped behind his back so tightly they were bloodless, and, stepping to the front of the platform, he announced that T. P. O'Connor had been elected by 1500 maiority. Then Mr Parnell made a I spe"ech. You could have heard a pin i drop, the tension was so great—and he finished with these words. 'We will .knock at England's door gently; I and if she refuses to hear we will ! knock again more loudly; then if ! she still remains deaf we will knock with a mailed hand.' With this he raised his hand as if to strike a blow. The effect was electrical. i Parnell was at the height of his success in those days. The squalid ! disclosures of the divorce court and the schisms that were to rend the . Nationalist Party in twain belonged Ito the future. The shadows had ! begun to fall when, at one of his ! last meetings, Parnell, hoping to i arouse the old enthusiasm, called i out hoarsely: "Cheers for the Chief! Cheers for the Chief!" There was I something tragically pathetic in the J sight of the proud, silent self-con-i tained leader asking for cheers for ; himself. Mrs O'Connor is not blind J to the faults of the great Irishman, i and she speaks of his "inordinate I selfishness" and his readiness to listen \ to malicious gossip, but she gives un- | qualified praise to his genu is for leadership. His unfailing gentleness and deference to women were not unimportant factors in his success.